Dietitians Day 2017!

The 19th of September is celebrated as ‘Dietitians day’. A dietitian refers to a professional who has the university qualifications and skills that enables them to provide dietary advice to manage health conditions such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, food allergies, intolerances and gastrointestinal conditions. They are the ‘go to’ health professionals for any nutrition related support or advice be it improving the nutritional status of an individual, losing weight, gaining weight or dietary management of diseases such as cancer. Dietitians work in a variety of settings such as clinical, private practice and industry.

Did you know?

99% of GPs and practice nurses refer their patients to a dietitian for a dietary advice.

A student dietitian completes a minimum of 100 days of professional placement.

The average time for an initial consultation with a private practice dietitian (dietitians working for a private clinic or those who have their own practice) is 52 minutes which is ample amount of time to discuss individual needs and develop a personalised plan.

Frequently asked questions:

What is the difference between a dietitian and nutritionist in Australia?

All dietitians are also nutritionists but nutritionists are not dietitians.

Nutritionists have a tertiary nutrition qualification. However there is no specific body that assesses the qualifications of nutritionists. On the other hand, the DAA (dietetics association of Australia) assesses the qualifications of dietitians.

Dietitians can provide individual dietary counselling, medical nutrition therapy, group dietary therapy and food service management. Nutritionists do not have the expertise to provide these services.

What does the APD credential mean?

APD credential is a guarantee that the individual is certified to provide nutrition advice. It is the only credential recognised by the Australian Government, Medicare, the Department of Veterans Affairs and most private health funds as the quality standard for nutrition and dietetics services in Australia. It is a recognised trademark protected by law.

What does an APD do during the consult?

Assess nutritional needs

Provide nutrition education (explain diet and disease relationship)

Diagnosis and Assessment

Develop personalised nutrition care plans for each individual

How does the pricing system work with medicare?

Rebates are provided by Medicare if you have a care plan that is created by your general practitioner. Most private health funds also cover private practising APDs. Medicare rebates are also available for group services.

People around you and the internet give so much information on nutrition. Why see a dietitian for nutrition information?

Often information provided by people and internet can be incorrect. There are new diets every few months which get promoted as the ‘ideal diet’ and new theories to weight loss talked about among people and in the media .Blindly trying to follow fad diets or avoiding particular food groups can negatively impact your health. Dietitians can help separate fact from fiction and provide you with all the relevant information and advice that can help you lead a better quality of life.

Are dietitians only concerned with weight loss?

While dietitians do deal with weight loss, they are able to help with a number of other health conditions. Dietitians can also provide general healthy eating advice suited to your lifestyle such as how to prepare quick meals if you have time constraints, budget eating, healthier brands etc.

Contact us for results focused nutritional advice

If you have questions regarding health and nutrition, make an appointment. We‘ll provide you with a simple and effective routine targeted to your concerns. Contact us today!

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About Us

We are Dietitians and Nutritionists, Speech Pathologists and Skincare Specialists. We see adults and children from our office in Randwick. Passionate about health and wellbeing, we write about issues relevant to our clinical practice.